"Like Aladdin, but with Cocktails"

Tuesday, 18 May 2010 11:50

We hear that in SATC2, Carrie and friends travel to the far-flung locale of Abu Dhabi, the second largest city in the United Arab Emirates. We predict this becoming a major travel hot-spot (and maybe eclipsing it’s cousin, Dubai), so we convinced travel expert Johnny Jet—who visited just last month—to reveal his insider tips!

1. The best months to visit are October, November, December and March, April and May.

2. Go for a luxurious escape to Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort. It’s unlike any other place I’ve been, and set in the Empty Quarters Desert.

3. Tour the Emirates Palace Hotel (bottom right). Besides saying you’ve been in the world’s most expensive hotel (it cost $3 billion), you can see firsthand how the city is spending $100 billion on tourism-boosting projects like Saadiyat Island, a 670-acre cultural district designed by the world’s best-known architects. (For instance, Frank Gehry is designing a 323,000-square-foot Guggenheim and Jean Nouvel will create a 258,000-square-foot Louvre Museum). The area will also include a 650-foot-high translucent tent so residents can play tennis, take boat rides or relax at the “outdoor” cafés year-round.

4. Want to save money and don’t mind extreme heat or lack of service? Go in the summer or during Ramadan, when many hotels offer up to 50 percent off regular rates.

5. Go on a Desert Safari. Try to sit in the front if you get carsick. (See videos on www.johnnyjet.com.)

John E. DiScala (a.k.a. Johnny Jet) travels 150,000 miles and visits more than 20 countries each year. He and his website have been featured in USA Today, Time, Fortune and The New York Times, and he has appeared on ABC, CBS, CNBC, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, FOX News Channel and PBS. Sign up for Johnny Jet’s free weekly travel newsletter at JohnnyJet.com.

Check out Johnny Jet on Twitter at @JohnnyJet.

INsite also got to interview Sarah Jessica Parker on SATC2

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